Parable that wealth does not bring happiness

January 31, 2010 5:40 PM

I'm looking for a specific parable or folk story with the moral that wealth does not bring happiness. It goes something like: Rich man comes into town. The people see his nice things and assume that he's happy. He goes home and commits suicide. The end.

A few years ago I read a parable or folk story in a book that went something like: Rich man comes into town. The people see his nice things and assume that he's happy. He goes home and commits suicide.

I'd like to use this to illustrate a point, but I've forgotten where I read it. Can anyone give me a citation?

posted by great.ideas.$1 to Religion & Philosophy (8 answers total)

Best answer: Seconding Richard Cory.
posted by restless_nomad at 5:42 PM on January 31, 2010

Best answer: Yeah, came in to say Richard Cory too.
posted by greta simone at 5:47 PM on January 31, 2010

Best answer: Nthing Richard Cory. The first time I read it, I felt like I was getting kicked in the gut.
posted by pecknpah at 5:48 PM on January 31, 2010

Best answer: Yeah, Richard Cory is what you're looking for. I knew the Simon and Garfunkel song before I knew the poem, but it had the same impact on me as it did on pecknpah.
posted by Faint of Butt at 5:59 PM on January 31, 2010

There is always that lovely story about the monkey's paw; that had more to do with greed, however. I cannot help you on the specific parable of which you speak....
posted by Qzmanuzie at 6:01 PM on January 31, 2010

Best answer: Yep, sounds like Richard Cory.
posted by Metroid Baby at 6:07 PM on January 31, 2010

Them (Van Morrison's rock & roll/blues band in the '60's) turned an excellent version of "Richard Cory", much better and nastier than the relatively tame S & G attempt.
posted by motown missile at 10:29 PM on January 31, 2010

I find this this version quite haunting.
posted by squasha at 1:03 AM on February 1, 2010